1.4 Sea-floor spreading



Vocabulary



mid-ocean ridge-longest chain of mountians in the world
sonar-device that maps tha ocean floor
sea-floor spreading-molten lava erupting from the mid-ocean ridge forming new oceanic crust
deep ocean trenches-places where old oceanic crust sinks back in the mantle
subduction-procces where old oceanic crust sinks back into the mantle

Outline



Mapping the mid-ocean ridge


  • Using sonar to map the mid-ocean ridge

Evidence for Sea-Floor Spreading


  • 1960 Harry Hess
    • ocean floor like a conveyor belts

Evidence from Magnetic Stripes


  • magnetic strips
    • some rocks formed when the Earths magnetic field switched

Evidence from Drilling Samples


  • rocks farther from the ridge were older
    • younger ones were closer to the ridge

Evidence from Molten Material


  • molten rocks
    • shaped like pillows

Subduction at deep ocean trenches

  • deep-ocean trenches are places where old oceanic crust sinks
    • oceanic crust bends downward when subduction occurs
      • new oceanic crust is hot but eventtually cools down and becomes more dense

Subduction and Earth's Ocean




  • ocean floor renewed every 200 million years